Presidents Day

Presidents Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the third Monday of February; in 2026, it falls on February 16. Its federal legal name is Washington’s Birthday, honoring George Washington, the nation’s first president and a central figure in the American Revolution and founding of the republic. The holiday originated in the nineteenth century as a commemoration of Washington’s February 22 birthday and became an important occasion for public celebrations, patriotic speeches, and expressions of national unity.

The modern observance developed after the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, enacted in 1968 and implemented in 1971, moved several federal holidays to Mondays to create more three-day weekends. Although the federal designation remains Washington’s Birthday, many states, businesses, calendars, and retailers use the broader name Presidents Day to recognize Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other American presidents. Lincoln’s February 12 birthday helped inspire this expanded popular meaning, even though the federal holiday does not officially honor every president equally and state observances vary.

Presidents Day is commonly marked by educational programs, historical exhibitions, patriotic ceremonies, and lessons about the presidency, the Constitution, and the development of the United States. Museums, libraries, schools, and historic sites may present reenactments, lectures, presidential biographies, and activities focused on Washington, Lincoln, and other national leaders. Some communities hold parades or flag ceremonies, while many government offices, banks, schools, and postal services close in observance of the federal holiday.

The holiday is also widely associated with a winter shopping weekend, when retailers advertise Presidents Day sales on furniture, appliances, clothing, and automobiles. Unlike Thanksgiving or Christmas, Presidents Day has no universally recognized traditional meal, though families may use the long weekend for travel, recreation, or informal gatherings. Common greetings include “Happy Presidents Day” and “Happy Washington’s Birthday,” and appropriate seasonal activities include visiting presidential landmarks, reading American history, displaying the national flag, and discussing civic responsibilities and democratic government.